Merhaba, and welcome. I am Hasan Gülday, an Aegean-region licensed tour guide based in Kuşadası, right beside the ancient city of Ephesus. My daily guiding rate is 150 Euros for a full day of private guiding in my home region — Ephesus and its surroundings, İzmir, and Pamukkale. For destinations beyond the Aegean, I join guests only on longer multi-day tours, quoted personally. On this page you will find my rates, exactly what they include, the areas I guide, and how to book me.
A little about me first, because you are choosing a person, not a package. I hold Turkey’s nationwide professional tour guide licence, I have more than fifteen years of guiding experience, and I have welcomed well over a thousand guests to this coast. I live in Kuşadası with my wife and our two daughters, and the ruins I guide are not a job for me — they are home.
How Much Does a Private Tour Guide Cost in Ephesus?
My daily guiding rate is 150 Euros. A guiding day covers a full day of my time, normally up to around eight hours, at the attractions you choose within my Aegean guiding areas. The fee is for your private group, not per person, so a couple and a family pay the same. We can spend the whole day inside Ephesus, or combine several nearby sites — the guiding fee stays the same, and you are free to shape the day around your own interests and pace. All rates on this page are updated for 2026.
What Does My Guiding Fee Include?
I like everything to be clear from the very start, so there are never surprises on the day.
- Included: my professional licensed guiding for the full day, personal trip planning and honest advice before you arrive, help with all the practicalities on the day, and as much history and storytelling as you would like.
- Not included: site entrance fees and museum tickets, transport, meals and drinks, and personal expenses. These you pay directly, so you always know exactly where your money goes.
I am always glad to explain the current entrance fees in advance, and to tell you honestly whether a Museum Pass would save you money on your particular plan.
Where Do I Guide? My Aegean Guiding Areas
My family, my home, and my working life are all here on the Aegean coast, and this is where I guide day after day. My day-guiding areas are three:
Ephesus and Around Kuşadası
The heart of everything I do. I guide the great marble streets of Ephesus ancient city, the Terrace Houses, the House of the Virgin Mary, the Basilica of Saint John, the Temple of Artemis, the İsa Bey Mosque, and the Ephesus Archaeology Museum in Selçuk — and after the ruins, the lovely wine village of Şirince makes a perfect relaxed lunch. Kuşadası town and its cruise port are on my doorstep.
Izmir
İzmir is ancient Smyrna, one of the Seven Churches of Revelation, and my second guiding heartland. I guide the Agora of Smyrna, the hilltop castle of Kadifekale, the Church of Saint Polycarp, Konak Square with its famous Clock Tower, the Kemeraltı Bazaar, and the Kordon seafront — and I regularly meet guests arriving at İzmir’s cruise port or airport. İzmir pairs beautifully with Ephesus over two days.
Pamukkale and Hierapolis
The white travertine terraces of Pamukkale, with the ancient spa city of Hierapolis spread above them, are among my favourite places on earth to guide. From Kuşadası or Selçuk, Pamukkale makes a long but wonderful full-day trip — or, even better, an unhurried overnight — and I am happy to arrange either. Guests who love biblical history often ask me to add nearby Laodicea, another of the Seven Churches, on the way.
Do You Guide in Istanbul or Cappadocia?
Only on longer tours — and here I like to be completely straight with you. I am an Aegean-based guide, and my day guiding stays within my home region of Ephesus, İzmir, and Pamukkale, where my knowledge runs deepest. My licence is valid nationwide, so for Istanbul, Cappadocia, and the rest of Turkey I happily join guests as their personal guide on longer multi-day journeys, accompanying you for the whole trip. If that is the kind of journey you are dreaming of, send me your ideas and I will prepare a tailored itinerary and a clear personal quote.
Cruise Shore Excursions from Kuşadası and İzmir
A great many of my guests arrive by cruise ship at Kuşadası port, and some at İzmir. A private shore excursion is by far the most relaxed way to see Ephesus in a single day: I meet you right at the port gate, plan everything around your ship’s schedule, and make sure you are back on board comfortably before it sails — with none of the waiting and herding that comes with the big coach groups. Just send me the name of your ship and your port times, and I will build the perfect day around them.
Can You Visit the Grotto of Apostle Paul?
Yes — and it is one of the rarest experiences in Ephesus, seen by very few visitors. Two honest warnings first. The grotto lies inside Ephesus ancient city, so you pay the normal site admission and walk through the ruins to reach it; and there is no path or driveway — you must climb a steep hill, so I do not recommend it for anyone with walking difficulties or serious health problems.
The grotto also requires special permissions and payments arranged before the visit, and I can apply for all of them in your name. You need to let me know at least ten working days before your visit, and the fee for the required permissions and guidance is 480 Euros. Because access is strictly controlled, please contact me as early as you can if this is something you would like to include.
How Do I Book a Licensed Tour Guide in Ephesus?
Booking me is simple and personal — you deal with me directly, not with an agency.
- Send me a message with your dates, your group size, and the places you hope to see.
- I reply personally with my availability, a clear quote, and my honest suggestions for making the most of your time.
- Once we agree the plan, I confirm your booking and hold the date for you.
- Before you travel, I send you everything you need to know — timings, what to wear, what to bring, and what to expect.
- On the day, I meet you at your hotel, the port, or the site gate, and we enjoy the Aegean together.
When we agree your plan, I will also confirm the payment details with you directly, so everything is settled and clear long before you arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions About My Guiding Rates
How much does a private tour guide cost in Ephesus?
My daily guiding rate is 150 Euros for a full day of private guiding in Ephesus, İzmir, Pamukkale, and the surrounding Aegean region.
Is the guiding rate per person or per group?
Per group. The fee covers my time for the day, so a couple, a family, or a small group of friends all pay the same guiding rate.
Do entrance fees come out of the guiding fee?
No — site entrance tickets, transport, and meals are separate and paid directly by you. I am always glad to advise on current prices and whether a Museum Pass would save you money.
What areas do you guide in?
I am an Aegean-region guide based in Kuşadası. My day guiding covers Ephesus and its surroundings, İzmir, and Pamukkale.
Do you guide in Istanbul or Cappadocia?
Only as part of longer multi-day tours, where I accompany you as your personal guide for the whole journey. For day tours I stay within my Aegean home region.
Do you guide cruise passengers from Kuşadası port?
Yes. I meet you at the port and plan the whole day around your ship’s schedule, so you are back on board in good time. I can also meet ships at İzmir.
How long is a guiding day?
Normally up to around eight hours, at the attractions you choose. Shorter days for quick cruise calls are always possible — just ask.
Can you arrange a visit to the Grotto of Saint Paul?
Yes, with permissions applied for at least ten working days in advance; the fee for the permissions and guidance is 480 Euros. The climb is steep, so it is not suitable for everyone.
Let Me Welcome You to the Aegean
Every tour I lead is built around the people I am guiding, which is why I prefer to quote personally rather than sell a fixed package. Tell me your dates, your interests, and how much time you have, and I will put together the right plan and a clear price for you. You can reach me through theephesus.com or toursaroundturkey.com — and from my home in Kuşadası, beside the marble streets of Ephesus, I look forward to welcoming you. Görüşmek üzere — see you soon, Hasan Gülday.
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